Pres. Donald Trump (Photo: SAUL LOEB/AFP)
Pres. Donald Trump of the US claims he has obtained guarantees from Iran that the country will not develop nuclear weapons. This comes amid reports that he has sent a tougher peace proposal back to Tehran, which could further delay the path to a formal end to the ongoing Middle Eastern war.
Any amendments to the proposal could significantly prolong the process of officially ending the conflict and reopening the strategic Strait of Hormuz. Diplomats have been toiling for weeks to reach an agreement, despite bitter rhetoric and sporadic outbreaks of armed violence between the parties involved.
The New York Times and the news website Axios reported on Saturday that Trump presented a new framework with “stricter” conditions to Iran for consideration. However, it is not yet clear what these stricter conditions entail.
For Trump, the absolute end of Iran’s nuclear program and the reopening of the blocked Strait of Hormuz remain non-negotiable priorities.
In an interview that was broadcast on Saturday night on his daughter-in-law, Lara Trump’s program on Fox News, the president made his position clear: “The one guarantee that I have to have is that there will be no nuclear weapons. They agreed to that, and that was very interesting.”
Tehran is kicking Trump’s ass
Despite Trump’s statements, Tehran has already openly expressed doubts about the US president’s statements. It is clear that the parties’ key priorities are still far apart. Iran has indicated unequivocally that the release of some $12 billion in frozen assets must take place before substantive talks on issues such as its nuclear program can proceed. Furthermore, Iranian media dismissed Trump’s earlier claims that Iran’s enriched uranium – a precursor to the production of nuclear weapons – would be destroyed as “slanderous” and “baseless”.
Tehran also insists that Lebanon be included in any end to the conflict, even if the fighting continues unabated. In Beirut, Nawaf Salam, the Lebanese prime minister, accused Israel of applying a scorched-earth policy and collective punishment as its troops advance and carry out airstrikes that Israel says are aimed at the Iran-backed group Hezbollah. Salam made an urgent appeal to the international community for “a speedy and real ceasefire”.
No rush at the White House
Although Trump and several US officials had indicated earlier that they were on the verge of concluding a historic agreement, the president struck a noticeably less urgent tone in his latest Fox News interview. He even hinted at the possibility of renewed military action if things did not go according to plan. Trump said: “I’m in no rush. Slowly but surely we’re getting, I think, what we want, and if we don’t get what we want, we’re going to end up in a different way.”
These remarks reflect the harsh tone of Pete Hegseth, the Pentagon chief, who warned during a defense summit in Asia on Saturday that Washington was prepared for any eventuality. Hegseth said the US is “more than capable” of starting the war again if necessary.
Although the daily attacks across Iran and the Gulf region have decreased significantly since Tehran and Washington reached a temporary ceasefire in April – followed by talks in Pakistan – the conflict continues to flare up regularly with new outbreaks of violence.
Iran’s state broadcaster IRIB reported that the country’s Revolutionary Guard shot down a US military drone that was allegedly on its way to enter Iranian territorial waters with a view to hostile operations. However, the incident has not yet been confirmed by US authorities. Earlier in the week, the most serious fighting since the fragile ceasefire broke out when US forces carried out attacks on the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas, prompting Iran to respond with retaliatory strikes.
Economic stranglehold of Hormuz
Despite the fighting, diplomacy continues behind the scenes. Trump is under intense domestic and international pressure to reach an agreement that will lift the competing blockades around the Strait of Hormuz. These blockades have adversely affected the international oil supply and threaten to bring the global economy to its knees with rising prices.
Trump had earlier claimed on social media that Tehran would charge “no tolls” on ships passing through the strait once the blockades were lifted under an agreement. However, the Iranian news agency Fars cited sources who stated that “no such clause appears in the text of the agreement”.
To further complicate matters, Iranian news agency ISNA on Saturday quoted parliament member Alireza Salimi as saying that a plan “to implement Iran’s governance and sovereignty over the Strait of Hormuz will soon be approved by parliament”.
Israel is expanding in Lebanon
Meanwhile, Israel’s army issued evacuation warnings for even more towns in southern Lebanon on Saturday. This follows just one day after Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, announced that his troops had already moved more than 30 kilometers (20 miles) deep into the country.
The Israeli army confirmed in an official statement early Sunday morning that it is expanding its ground operation. According to the statement, a significant number of its forces have already advanced beyond the Litani River and extensive operations are being carried out against Hezbollah in the Beaufort Ridge and the Wadi al-Saluki area.
A cease-fire between Israel and Hezbollah went into effect on April 17, but has been virtually never observed, with both sides constantly accusing each other of violations. The current wave of violence began in early March when the Iran-backed Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in retaliation for the death of Iran’s spiritual leader in US and Israeli strikes. This prompted Israel to conduct almost daily airstrikes in Lebanon and eventually launch a ground invasion. However, Israel and Lebanon began direct talks in April, with a fourth round expected in the coming week.